While tech continues to revolutionise the property industry and change the way people find their homes, the industry also needs to follow social media trends to capitalise on the global shot in the arm that proptech has given it.
More and more property practitioners are turning to short-form video content – the current trend leader in the social media space, according to market research company GWI.
Its latest flagship report on the latest trends in social media shows that short videos are quick to create and tend toward the less polished, more spontaneous content people are after.
Read our latest Property360 digital magazine below
Consumers on channels like TikTok, Instagram, Reels, YouTube Shorts and Facebook Stories are far more likely to use social media for creative inspiration. Furthermore, short clips are not only a huge hit with Gen Z, but 25% of consumers watch a video made by a brand, each month. They’re also shared extensively on messaging platforms like WhatsApp, opening access to consumers who may not be on TikTok.
Harnessing this trend to showcase their expertise and their properties to would-be buyers is the next step for an industry rapidly coming to terms with the need to adopt off-site ads and social media marketing, says Flow co-chief executive and co-founder Gil Sperling.
Massaging the algorithm
“For businesses, and property practitioners in particular, the change in the way the algorithms on these platforms function plays into the hands of those who can create compelling content.
“The algorithms – once focussed on aggregating content from connections, friends and family – now draw far more on content that users regularly interact with to populate their feeds”.
She says these short-form videos are incredibly addictive because it’s easy to consume scores of videos that the algorithm knows you’ll be interested in, in a short period of time.
“The most successful short-form videos are also authentic – meaning they don’t need to be polished and produced by experts: a boon to property practitioners who can showcase their portfolio of properties more easily”.
As more people start to trust social media platforms as sales channels, Sperling says there is no reason the property industry shouldn’t be able to harness social media platforms to help the right homes find the right people.
Citing marketing survey conducted in 2022 by real estate site The Close, social media platform Hootsuite states in a blog post that social media is second only to referrals as the next best source of real estate leads. And because of this, 80% of real estate agents plan to spend more time on their social media marketing strategies in the next year.
Tips and ideas
Hootsuite offers real estate agents a few ideas on how they can use social media to get more leads, including:
- Always sharing new listings to your social media pages
- Showcasingvideo walk-throughs
- Sharing statistics and trends on your local market to help buyers make decisions on where they want to live
- Offering tips to buyers, as well as sharing mistakes they should avoid
- Sharing before and after photographs of home renovations to inspire homeowners
- Running polls to find out more about your audience
- Sharing testimonials from buyers and sellers
- Sharing ‘just sold’ photographs to demonstrate your experience and expertise
- Conducting weekly recaps on show houses coming up
Show days
While putting your home on show can be stressful, David Jacobs, Gauteng regional manager for the Rawson Property Group says it is also one of the best ways to achieve fast and favourable sales.
“If you get it right the first time, you may only need a single show day to get the offers rolling in.”
He also shares these tips to help boost your chances of bagging a buyer on your first show day
– Tick off the maintenance to-do list
The more repairs you can cross off your maintenance list before opening your home to buyers, the better your chances of a quick and profitable sale.
“Buyers love nothing more than a home that is move-in-ready. That said, talk to your agent before doing a full overhaul right before a show house. Some repairs and upgrades add more value than others. You don’t want to end up overcapitalising right before a sale.”
– Prep your paperwork
It may sound premature, but Jacobs says having documentation like approved plans and compliance certificates in hand before a show house can be really beneficial to making a sale.
“Buyers appreciate knowing that all is in order with the property, and there will be no unexpected delays if they do make an offer. It’s also reassuring for them to work with a seller who clearly understands their legal responsibilities and takes them seriously. It bodes well for an open, honest and ethical sale.”
– Primp and polish
A little bit of polish is always a good idea before a show house. Jacobs suggests a deep-clean, garden tidy-up and a good declutter.
“The neater and more neutral a picture you present, the better. Buyers want to be able to imagine themselves living in your property, and that can be hard to do when they’re dodging kids’ toys and family photos in every room.”
While you don’t need to completely denude your property of personality, he says it is important to remove objects that might be seen as supporting political, religious or social issues.
“Prospective buyers may not share your beliefs, and those differences could colour their opinions of your home.”
– Take a break
Jacob’s final tip for holding a successful show day is to leave it to the experts; pack up the kids and the pets and take them off for a day of fun.
“It can feel like an imposition having to vacate your property so that strangers can explore it, so why not turn the tables and make those few hours something to look forward to, instead? Plan a pamper session, an adventure, or simply some quality family time. Who knows, by the time you get home, you may be halfway to a sale!”
IOL BUSINESS